Album: Surfer Rosa Artist: The Pixies Released: 1988 Producer: Steve Albini Label: 4AD
Vocals/Guitar – Black Francis Guitar – Joey Santiago Bass/Vocals – Kim Deal (credited here as Mrs John Murphy) Drums – Dave Lovering
TITLE OF REVIEW: I Was Talking To Preachy Preach About Kissy Kiss
As part of my punk trilogy of music reviews, I decided I would write about at least one American punk band. It just so happened that the album I settled on – Surfer Rosa – influenced more 90s alternative rock bands than any other American indie/punk release I can think of. The Pixies are often described as an indie rock outfit, and I’ve seen some reviewers describe them as indie pop. However anyone who was had even a cursory listen to “Come on Pilgrim” (1987) and especially “Surfer Rosa” (1988), would have a different perspective.
I would describe Surfer Rosa as being one of the most important late 80s releases in my record collection. Whenever I dust it off and put it on it never fails to surprise me with its feral power and its oddness. The Pixies biggest gift to 90s guitar music – the clever deployment of huge distorted guitars behind choruses; which Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam all absorbed – is best showcased on Surfer Rosa. The band recorded the fourteen-track album with Steve Albini producing, or recording, as he prefers it to be known. Albini, for anyone not familiar with his production work, is best known for helping Nirvana on In Utero and for working with other cult alternative acts, such as PJ Harvey and The Wedding Present.
Before I dive in and describe the
album (“and start waxing lyrical about how great it is” shout the readership in unison) I’d like to mention the artwork. The cover is a shot of some Spanish looking woman (I’m only going by the finger clicking pose and the Spanishy skirt) who is topless and leaning with her neck back at a most unnatural angle. The inlay art is even weirder – there are several blurred images of the same woman dancing, with an ever present cross (as in Jesus type cross) behind her. Then strangest of all there is a picture of a man sat with his back to the camera, who has a full blown back beard – yes 100% coverage. But enough of such pleasantries! What about the record in question….
The opening track on Surfer Rosa, “Bone Machine”, is a grinding, bass-driven hard rocking number. Albini’s trademark, the huge, heavy drums, are something of a statement of intent. Unlike on other Pixies albums where the early tracks serve as a lightweight intro to heavier subject and musical matters, Surfer Rosa, starts off feral and rabid and stays so. Francis howls and growls before muttering;
“I was talking to preachy preach about kissy kiss”
Which for some reason is a lyric I really like speaking (not singing) at the most inappropriate moments. I find it a great thing to say to someone if they are boring me in a public house but enough of my own smart arsedness.
“Break My Body” is the 70s punk aping second number. Searing guitars, whelping vocals, and a truly bizarre lyric mark it out as a career highlight for Frank Black and co. Black sings;
“I’m a belly dancer I’ll shake forever and I’ll never care I’m a building jumper Roof to roof You see me flying in the air”
It makes no real sense – it doesn’t pretend to. Things worsen (or get better depending on your lyrical cohesiveness perspective) on the next few tracks. On “Something Against You” the lyrics are indecipherable due to the part grunted, part howled vocals until you realise that all Francis is singing is; “I’ve something against you” over and over again in an increasingly savage voice. “Broken Face” is flat out hardcore – raging guitars, crashing drums and hundreds of chord changes. Francis whelps like an eight-week old puppy, distressed at not being allowed out on the lawn to pee. A distinct Mexican flavour is present on “Broken Face” and rears its head unexpectedly throughout much of the album. In fact, when I first listened to this album, I was amazed that the word “Gringo” isn’t even sung once during the 14 tracks.
“Gigantic” – the only song on the album not penned by Francis – is Kim Deal’s work. A huge anthemic monster of a song, it’s lyrical concern would seem to be thinly veiled sexual desire. Deal’s distinctive, drawl gives the song character and, what with Black Francis’ high-pitched backing vocals, it is a powerful example of two less-than-great vocal technicians making the best of their gifts.
That is not to say that this album suffers for any other form of technical proficiency. Lovering’s drums are intense, solid and massive, Santiago’s guitars ooze innovation and expression. Francis, despite his daft voice and bizarre, abstract lyrical mind, is a fantastic songwriter – as his solo work evidences. He is the brain behind nearly all of The Pixies music and is arguably still alternative rock’s best exponent of the huge, storm-after-the-lull, distortion-smothered chorus.
“River Euphrates” – a deliberately weird, grower of a track leads in to the albums highlight (and arguably the most flawless song The Pixies recorded) – the haunting, polished “Where Is My Mind?” A slow, repetitive guitar line and a strong vocal give the song an emotive edge on the rest of the work on the album. It’s not punk, like most of the material on this album is, but it’s the sign of a band at their peak, churning out gems like there is no tomorrow. Francis sounds quite convincing in this ode to insanity when he sings;
“With your feet in the air And your head on the ground Try this trick and spin it, yeah Your head will collapse But there’s nothing in it And you’ll ask yourself Where is my mind?”
Musically it’s the closest thing I’ve heard to Talking Heads – albeit a very strange incarnation of Talking Heads.
“Cactus” is a solid new-wave track, covered slickly by David Bowie on his 2002 album, “Heathen.” After that three tracks of Spanish/Mexican flavoured punk are spewed out in succession – broken only by a 44 second extract of a telephone conversation. The least accessible of these three punk tracks –“Tony’s Theme” – features Frank Black barking the name “Tony” in the fashion of a dog. Despite the strangeness of the vocal and some very peculiar lyrical forays, Joey Santiago’s guitar saves the track from becoming terrible.
“I’m Amazed” is a classic track. Barely 100 seconds long, it is concise, raw and weird – everything that I like about the album in fact. “Brick Is Red”, the album’s closer features a brilliant chord sequence and a 1’12 introduction – which isn’t that strange I hear you say. Well it is when you consider the song is only 2’00 long. The version of this album I have came with the band’s first album (the 8 track “Come on Pilgrim”) stapled on at the end of Surfer Rosa – WHICH WAS NICE!
In conclusion, Surfer Rosa is a well produced, hurtling HGV of a rock record. I love the album for its punchy, punk basslines, weird acoustic and electric guitar shapes, frantically strummed chords and bold, militaristic drumming. Of the five albums The Pixies released (all of which are worthy of inspection except possibly 1990s Bossanova) I would pick out Surfer Rosa and Trompe Le Monde (isn’t that quite rude in French?!?) as being the two standout albums.
Trompe Le Monde (1991) is the sound of a band aware that they’d reached the end of the road and were ready to go their own separate ways. In stark contrast, Surfer Rosa is the sound of a band coming together and finding their feet. The Pixies pack a mean punch and they threw few better knock out punches than on their 1988 sophomore release.
THE THIRD AND FINAL INSTALLMENT OF MY PUNK TRILOGY WILL BE POSTED NEXT WEEK. IT IS ABOUT MY FAVOURITE (IN TERMS OF NUMBERS OF PLAYS AT LEAST) RECORD EVER….
For now, until next time,
Byesy bye
Andy
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hardcore's rush and terseness against the acoustic grit and the minor-key flourish of Latin pop. Their first full-length album is their starkest, harsh and trebly, with ...
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Before the Breeders and Frank Black, there was this Massachusetts quartet, playing ... more
hardcore's rush and terseness against the acoustic grit and the minor-key flourish of Latin pop. Their first full-length album is their starkest, harsh and trebly, with ...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
May 29th, 2003
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